Hey everyone, I’m back again to share my latest project. This time, I got my hands dirty trying to remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo 7041R-001. Yeah, I know, it’s a pretty ambitious one, but I was up for the challenge. Let me tell you, it wasn’t a walk in the park.
So, first things first, I started digging around for info on this watch. I mean, I had to know what I was getting myself into, right? I learned that the Gondolo collection was named after some big-shot retailer in Rio, Gondolo & Labouriau. Apparently, Patek Philippe and these guys were tight back in the day, from like 1872 to 1927. That’s some history there. But really the movement was what I was concerned about.
Next up, I had to figure out where to get the parts. I hit up a few online stores, comparing prices and all that jazz. Found a couple of specialty stores that seemed to have what I needed. I’ve heard some say online stores aren’t good, but I don’t buy it. The stores I went to had great offers. I placed my orders and waited. It took a while for everything to arrive, but that’s just how it goes sometimes. During this time I did some more research.
- The first thing I did when the parts arrived was to lay everything out. Then I started to put them together.
- There were a lot of small parts! I had to take a lot of breaks to make sure I was staying on track.
- It was pretty fun seeing it come together, piece by piece.
- The hardest part was the movement. So many small parts in there.
- I had to follow the plans really carefully for the movement. I couldn’t mess that up or the whole thing wouldn’t work.
After many days of working on it, I finally got it assembled. Honestly, it looked pretty darn good. I mean, I’m no expert watchmaker, but I was proud of what I had accomplished. I wound it up and… it worked! It was keeping time and everything. I put it on and wore it around to show it off.
I’ve been wearing my Gondolo remake for a few days now, and it’s still ticking along nicely. It’s not a real Patek Philippe, of course, but it’s a pretty decent homage, if I do say so myself. And the best part is, I made it with my own two hands. I think it’s worth it. It was a great learning experience, and I had a blast doing it. Plus, now I have a cool watch to show for it.
Anyway, that’s my story. If you’re thinking about trying something like this, I say go for it! Just be prepared to put in the time and effort. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely rewarding. And hey, if I can do it, anyone can. It is a classic style I think everyone should own. I’m going to keep wearing my watch around.
What do you think?
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or if you’ve ever tried something like this yourself. I’d love to hear about it. Also, I’m already thinking about my next project. I’m not sure what it will be yet, but I’m sure I’ll come up with something. I’ve heard the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 is a good one. I don’t know what I will do yet. Stay tuned!